A How-To on Achieving Masculinity

This is something you cannot touch, but can see, can’t smell, but can sense. What is this mysterious thing?

It is masculinity. According to Dude You’re a Fag by C.J. Pascoe, masculinity is something an individual does through his or her actions and is not necessarily associated with only men. Instead, masculinity is a form of control and dominance revealed through actions in both men and women, girls and boys.

Pascoe argues that there are two central methods that help to achieve masculinity. One is through “fag discourse” and the other is through sharing wild stories of sex also known as sex talks. But first, what is a “fag?” According to Pascoe, a fag is someone who lacks masculinity and control, is weak and is usually related to boys. In some cases, fag is seen more as a violation to the stereotypical “macho-man” male rather than a homophobic-related term.

Fag discourse, as Pascoe calls it, is similar to playing hot potato, but with words. Essentially, it is verbal flinging of the derogatory term, “fag” at one another in order to dissociate that word from him or herself. The word “fag”, used as a derogatory term to lessen someone’s masculinity, is a fluid identity, and it does not have to be permanent. In most cases, as long as the individual can throw this insult back at another person, then that person is no longer associated with being a fag and is thus made more masculine or be able to retain that masculinity. For example, Pascoe notices this fag discourse occurs in a lot of high school concentrated boy social groups. In an example in her book, there is a group of boys in the auto shop class, a class primarily made up of boys, who regularly call each other fags when another “messes up.” Turning the wrench the wrong way can be labeled as “fag” behavior as one student explains in Pascoe’s book. This is because the boy shows incompetence or a lack of control with oneself, an act that lessens ones’ masculinity. In some instances, this fag name calling game is a way for boys to check themselves, or police other boys into not wanting to become associated with the undesirable label of “fag.” By calling out one as fag, this idea of being a fag is something to stay away from. Therefore individuals will tend to call out others who are producing that behavior in order for them to make sure they will not do it again.

Pascoe states that the second method to achieve masculinity is through heterosexist discourses. In short, these “sex talks” are discussion based on ways in which another person can dominate or control another sexually. In case of high school boys where it is most prominently exemplified in Pascoe’s work, boys would often share their sexual adventures. Regardless of whether they may or may not be true, these fantasies depict how the boys can control their own bodies, the girls’ bodies, and are able to make them do uncontrollable things. One boy exclaims how he was able to make a girl bleed a ridiculous amount during intercourse, and another describes the time his brother had intercourse with a drunken woman and she passed gas throughout the whole session. These stories help show themselves and other boys their ability to exercise control and dominance, a behavior very much related to masculinity.

Pascoe’s research on achieving masculinity through fag and heterosexist discourses in a high school environment is universal. Next time you are in a high school and see a group of boys, listen closely to their conversation and realize that what they are saying, are indeed used to boost their masculinity levels. You’ll be surprised how vulgar and transparent their behavior is.